Winch brake



March 26, 1946.

J. E. LILL WINCH BRAKE Filed Sept. 4, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Mar. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE- if;

'asemse j WINCH BRAKE notation of' Delaware Pipplicatiorr September 4, rm, Serial N05. ssasse 2 Claim- (-Gl. 1881--82,):

This invention relates to winches and is particularly useful as .a hand operated winch;

While adaptable for' many uses myinvention was designed for manually controlling the openh ing and; closing. of a heavy door or the like in which the control cable atl'east partially supports the door.

. It an. object of my invention. to provide an improved winch.

Another object is to provide a manually actuated winch which holds a load when the operator ceases to actuate the winch to lift said load but which can be controlled to lower said load without the operator having to actuate the winch in reverse.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as further objects and advantages, will be made manifest in the followin description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an amphibian incorporating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the manner in which the invention controls the opening and closing of a door of said amphibian.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4. is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 3.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the amphibian ID with which the invention is shown as incorporated, includes a hull having a bottom i2 and sides I3 on which are mounted track laying mechanisms l4. Upper portions of the sides l3 have outer walls [5 and the winch it of my invention is preferably mounted in the space H between the side l3 and the outer wall l5 on the port side of the amphibian Hi.

The amphibian structure also includes a gate or door which is hinged at its lower edge on the bottom l2 and forms a water tight seal with said bottom and with the sides I 3 of the amphibian when in closed position as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2. The door 20 has pulleys 2| and a cable 22, one end 23 of which is attached to one of the sides l3, the cable then passing around the pulleys 2| and up over a pulley 24 in the opposite side l3 from which the cable 22 extends to the winch l6.

By operation of this winch the door 20 may be swung at will between its upper closed position,

lower open position in. which it is shown in broken m F 2 The winch It includes a U shaped frame125 having a base 26, and sidewalls 2.11 and 28; the latter providing suitable hearings for shafts; 29, 30. and 3|.

Freely mliatable on the shaft 2915, a cable. drum 35 to which the cable 2'2 is fastened by aqcl'amp 35. Fixed onther base is aguard 3j1"for,retaining the cable 22 coiled. on the drum 35". .j,

Fixed on one side of the drum 35 is a sprocket 38 which is connected by a chain 39 to a pinion sprocket 40 on the shaft 30. Also mounted on the shaft 30 and fixed thereto with the sprocket 40 by a pin 4|, is a ratchet dog member 42. This member has bores 43 containing springs 44 which yieldably press hardened balls 45 outwardly against ratchet teeth 46 provided internally in a brake drum 41 which is freely rotatably mounted on the shaft 30.

v Extending around the brake drum 41 is a brake band having a friction lining 56, the lower end of said band looping about a, pin 51 supported by ears 58 on the hub 59 of a brake operating member 60 which is fixed on the shaft 3| by a pin 6|. This shaft also has a collar 62 to assist in preventing longitudinal movement of the shaft 3|. The member 60 has a short arm 63 for receiving a threaded shank 64 of a T-bolt 65. The bolt head 58 fits'into a metal loop 61 which is secured to an upper portion of the brake band 55.

It is to be noted that in Fig. 4 an end section 10 of the brake band extends beyond the connection of the brake band with the loop 61 so as to lie between the brake drum 41 and a cam 1| formed on the hub 59. Also formed on this hub is a spring arm 12, opposite ends of a contractile spring 1,3being connected to this arm and to a lug 14 provided on the base 26.

Adjacent extending ends of shafts 30 and 3| are provided with pins 15 which are adapted to be selectively engagedby a hand crank 15 in the operation of the winch l6.

Operation brake band 55 and holding the lining 56 thereof snugged against the outer cylindrical surface of the'brake drum 41. When the door 20 is in an upper position as shown in full lines in Figs, 1 and 2, it is held in this position by friction be tween the lining 56 and the drum 41 preventing rotation of this drum. The cable 22 is Wound on as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2', and its 65 the cable drum 35 in such a direction that the balls 45 engage the ratchet teeth 46 and thus prevent the shaft rotating and the unwinding of the cable from the drum 35.

When it is desired to open the door 20, the handle 16 is placed on the shaft 3| and this shaft rotated to stretch the'spring l3 and relax the brakei band 55 to permit the brake druin 47 to be rotated by the ratchet dog member 42. When the brake band 55 Tia-thus relaxed; the wei'ght of 1 the doorI20 unwinds the cable 22 from the cable drum 35. By control of the shaft 3| the door then may be allowed to swing downwardly any desired dis tance. Whenever rotational pressure on the shaft I 3| is released so as to allow the spring 13 to again con'strict the brake band 55 on the drum-41,:the

- unwinding of the cable 22 frond thecable'drum-35 will be stopped.

Cam II is provided so thatif the handle 75E should be on the shaft 3| and someonesh ould accidentally fall against it so as to give an exrotating the same; 'a'jbrake' drum rotatably mounted on said shaft; 'a} brake band gripping said brake drum; a band actuating shaft means yieldably rotating said band shaft to snug said brake band. onto said brake drum, said band shaft being reversely rotatable to relax said band on;

said brake drum; ratchet means interposed be- 5 tween said shaft and said brake drum to allow said shaft to rotate freely relative to said brake drum only in a given direction: and means responding to an excessive rotation of said band shaft in a 1direction to relax said brake band a to cause said band to be pressed against said brake drum and thereby resist rotation of said brake drum.

2, In a winch, the combination of: a cable 7 dr'ur'n; a drive shaft connected to said drum for rotating the 3 same; a brake drum. rotatably niountedjon said shaft; a brake band gripping t s'aidbrake' drum} a band actuating shaft; means yieldably rotating said band shaft tosnug said bralgeband onto said brake drum, said band shaft being reversely rotatable to relax said band on said brake drum; ratchet means interposed between. said shaft and said brake drumflto'allow said shaft to' rotateyfreely relative to said brake fdrum only in a given direction; and a cam provided on said band shaft and positioned adjacent said band so thatexcessive rotation of said band shaft in a directionto relaxsaid brake "band causes said camto press said brake bandiagainst said brake drum and thereb resist rotation of said brakedrum.

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